Tern launches wild new off-road adventure cargo e-bike with 200 mile range
If you’re already familiar with Tern, then it’s likely from the company’s critically-acclaimed urban cargo e-bikes, often see in cities shuttling children to school behind parents or whisking home an entire family’s grocery load. But now the premium electric bike maker is tackling an entirely new market and heading off-road with its latest unveiling: the Tern Orox adventure cargo e-bike.
The new e-bike, just unveiled today, harnesses the same quality design and premium engineering that we’ve come to expect from Tern, yet applies it to a very different type of ride.
That means a focus on off-road riding that still employs many of our favorite Tern features, such as the passenger seating, dual battery options, and of course the incredibly high attention to detail when it comes to overbuilding for robustness and safety.
And applying those concepts that the company has honed on previous urban models is exactly the path Tern had hoped to follow, explained Tern Team Captain Josh Hon:
“Six years ago, we introduced the GSD with the belief that a compact and easy-to-ride bike capable of carrying passengers and cargo would get people out of their cars and onto bikes. We were right, and we love seeing all the amazing things people are doing with the GSD in crowded cities. But we also realized that there are plenty of places people want to go that are unpaved. And they want to bring their gear. For those trips, we made the Orox.”
A big part of the Orox’s design is centered around giving riders the choice of where they want to explore, from city bike lanes to unkept nature trails. That even includes a wide range of tire sizes to fit different types of riding. Orox’s frame and fork are designed to let riders swap in their choice of 26 x 5”, 27.5 x 4” or 29 x 3” wheels/tires.
The bike is rated to carry an impressive 180 to 210 kg (397 to 462 lb) of load in off-road and on-road riding, respectively, meaning riders can bring just about the entire campsite or a significant portion of their kid’s kindergarten class along for the ride. And with two frame sizes and styles, the Tern Orox can fit riders from 155 to 195 cm in height (5’1″ to 6’5″), or up to 130 kg (286 lb).
The Orox uses Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor with 85 Nm of torque and up to 340% assistance. When outfitted with two of Bosch’s massive 800 Wh batteries, the bike offers a maximum range of over 300 km (186 miles). Plus riders get to take advantage of all the other Bosch system perks, such as the eBike Flow app for bike locking, anti-theft alarm, and GPS-tracking.
Riders will be able to choose from different component loadouts as well, including options for a Gates Carbon Drive belt-drive system with a Rohloff 14-speed internal geared hub or a Shimano Deore XT 1×12 chain drive system. A set of powerful 4-piston Magura hydraulic disc brakes will also offer impressive stopping performance.
A set of 14 braze-ons around the frame provides plenty of cargo-mounting and accessory options, and riders also get to take advantage of the heavy-duty Atlast Kickstand XL for easier cargo loading.
Riders in Europe and North America will see the Tern Orox enter bike shops in April of this year, with other markets set to follow. Pricing will start at $6,499 / €6,799 / £5,900 in various markets, positioning the bike as a premium off-roader in line with some of Tern’s highest-rated bikes yet.
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Volkswagen Group Africa has officially begun production of a modern electric farm tractor at its multifunctional facility in Gashora, Rwanda in a bid to advance modern, low-emission agricultural initiatives in Africa.
Part of a larger Rwandan initiative called the GenFarm Project, the new VW tractor is part of a “holistic ecosystem” of electrified farming machinery set to be used throughout rural Africa – where liquid fossil fuels are often just as difficult to come by as electricity. The goal is to provide machinery that’s both sustainable and reliable.
“We are growing our footprint in Africa and regard Rwanda as a key growth market. This project demonstrates our commitment to sustainable practices and highlights our ability to provide mobility solutions to the rural community in addition to the urban community currently serviced by our Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda business,” explains Martina Biene, Volkswagen Group Africa Chairperson and Managing Director. “The GenFarm Project fosters technological innovation and aligns with Volkswagen Group’s strategy to generate meaningful value for both society and the environment through sustainable mobility.”
The GenFarm project will eventually provide mobility services for transportation of goods and people. In June 2023, Volkswagen Group Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Government of Rwanda to provide land for the establishment of the GenFarm Project.
The Volkswagen tractors’ electric motor produces 20 kW (about 27 hp), making it about the same size as the Solectrac product (which hasn’t worked out well in the US, it must be said). That motor gets its electrons from a 32 kWh swappable battery. Batteries are swapped/charged at the Empowerment Hub to minimize downtime. DC fast charging isn’t available, but the relatively small, swappable batteries (hopefully) mean that’s not much of a problem.
The GenFarm project hopes the new VW electric tractor will help clean up Rwanda’s agricultural sector, which currently accounts for some 25% of the national Gross Domestic Product.
Electrek’s Take
We’ve talked a lot about the lack of new farmers in America, but the problem is global – especially as western companies, and western ideas about consumerism, continue to spread. Products like this electric tractor from VW will make farming cleaner, quieter, and (hopefully) more attractive to young workers.
SOURCE | IMAGES: VW Group Africa.
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A new, all electric Peterbilt 579EV is in-service at Honda’s Lincoln, Alabama assembly plant, where it’s busy transporting newly-built Honda cars from the plant to a nearby railhead for shipment to dealers across the country.
Part of a pilot program between Honda, Alabama Power, and Virginia Transportation Corp., the new electric semi truck will help stakeholders gather data about the practicality and performance of the battery-powered Pete and use it to generate case studies for broader electrification initiatives. Other supporters of the pilot project include the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition and, of course, Peterbilt.
“We remain committed to delivering for our customers and the environment,” offered Leo Doire, owner and CEO of Virginia Transportation Corp. “Our new Peterbilt 579EV model will be tested to determine how well it performs against the high productivity demands of our operations. The partners we have at the table will help us maximize this opportunity and prepare to scale up if we get the results we are hoping for.”
The truck itself has been spec’ed to be perfect for the kind of short haul and drayage applications Honda has in mind. This particular Peterbilt 579EV is fitted with PACCAR’s 400 kWh battery and a 670 hp electric motor good for an impressive 2,050 lb-ft of peak torque at 0 rpm.
The truck offers 150 miles of operating range and can be charged in about 3 hours on a 120 kW charger installed specifically for that purpose. A charger, it should be noted, that was partially paid for by Alabama Power.
“Alabama Power’s ‘Make Ready’ program provides businesses with valuable rebates to help reduce the upfront costs of installing EV infrastructure,” says Alabama Power Electric Transportation Manager Hasin Gandhakwala. “We are committed to partnering with customers who are exploring state and federal grant opportunities. Alabama Power is dedicated to advancing EV technologies to better serve the needs of our customers.”
The electric semi is a continuation of a decarbonization project Honda initiated in 2011, when the company recruited Virginia Transport Corp. to help find ways to reduce emissions at its Alabama facilities. VTC’s efforts have led to changes that displaced more than 475,000 gallons of diesel in 2023 alone.
Electrek’s Take
With the big Pete’s 82,000 lb. GVWR and 150 miles of range between charging sessions, it seems like these guys will be making a lot of back-and-forth runs between the Honda plant and the CSX terminal to me. Here’s hoping they see the benefits of electrifying the rest of their vehicle transport fleets somewhat sooner than later.
SOURCE | IMAGES: Alabama Power.
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On today’s episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got big solar breaking ground all over, despite the incoming administration’s supposed lack of love for home-grown clean energy. Our guests today walk us through home solar, energy storage, and more.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations sitewide. Learn more by clicking here.
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Read more: Saldivar’s Trucking: first owner-operator to deploy Volvo VNR Electric semi.
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